…Saraki to reconcile warring factions
Amidst growing tension in the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caused by a wave of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), concerned stakeholders met in Abuja on Sunday night to stem the tide.
The meeting, which took place at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, was attended by governors and members of the party’s leadership. Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum convened the stakeholders meeting aimed at resolving the party’s ongoing crisis.
Speaking after the meeting, Governor Mohammed said the stakeholders had set up a committee headed by Bukola Saraki, former Senate President, to quickly establish mechanisms for reconciling warring factions.
Mohammed, who acknowledged there were “some missing gaps here and there”, stated: “We set up a committee of seven, headed by His Excellency, the former Senate President and former Governor of Kwara State, to ensure that a quick reconciliation and outreach will be made, in such a manner that we will have a very rancour-free and harmonious NEC and convention.”
Speaking on defections, Mohammed described them as “some of the manifestations in a democratic set-up like this that we have, and this is what is forcing us to come together.”
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He assured that “rather than diminishing and weakening, it is making us stronger, and we will ensure that those chapters where we have history and structure are not left alone. They will be able to produce the next governors of the PDP by the grace of God, because we will provide a level playing field in the upcoming convention.”
BusinessDay gathered that the meeting was convened by the party leadership to deliberate on issues concerning the ongoing defections from the party, the position of National Secretary, and the upcoming National Elective Convention scheduled for August this year.
The party was also expected to deliberate on the National Executive Committee meeting, which had been postponed several times but was recently scheduled for 27 May.
The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State attended the meeting. Governors Peter Mbah and Dauda Lawal of Enugu and Zamfara States, respectively, also participated.
Others in attendance included PDP Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, and Ahmed Makarfi, former Kaduna State Governor.
The former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson; former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, were also at the crucial meeting.
Additional attendees included: Bukola Saraki, former Kwara State Governor and former President of the Senate; Babangida Aliyu, former Niger State Governor; Adamu Muazu, former Bauchi State Governor; and Aminu Tambuwal, former Sokoto State Governor. Sule Lamido, former Jigawa State Governor, and former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel, also attended.
BusinessDay also gathered that the PDP Governors’ Forum extended invitations to former governors, Board of Trustees members, and National Working Committee members for the meeting to discuss the party’s current situation.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar did not attend the meeting.
Nyesom Wike, former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), arrived at the meeting venue long after it had started in his black G-Wagon, dressed in a black jalabiya and a white cap.
Other NWC members at the meeting included Kamaldeen Ajibade, the PDP National Legal Adviser, and Umar Nature, the National Organising Secretary.
